Gustave Le Gray was probably one of the first photographers, if not the first, to replace skies. His was out of necessity as the glass plates of the day could not capture the sky and the land or sea exposure. So, he took multiple exposures and blended them in the darkroom.
[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.keptlight.com/what-is-hdr/[/URL]
Also, Henry Peach Robinson. Fading Away or When the Day's Work is Done, are other examples which are entirely composited. There are many others, like Oscar Rejlander who composited large crowds. So the idea of "generative fill" is not new but the method and the purpose are different from that of today's use. They were transitioning from painting (a synthesis) to photography (an analysis). Pictoriolist movement was driving them. See below for the works I mentioned. The people did not get together and not been in the room at all.
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